The legend about the origin of Lubenice

The legend of the creation of the town Lubenice on Cres Island

Each town on the island has a legend about its creation or a legend about the creation of its name, and so does the little town Lubenice.

A long time ago lived a king who had a beautiful daughter whose name was Ljubica (Violet). A young man from the hill in which Lubenice is found today fell in love with the girl, and she loved him back. Unsatisfied with her decision, the King - the girl’s father - banished her. The princess followed her loved one and settled on the hill, which was named “Ljubenice” after her. Italians who started ruling the island in 1918 could not pronounce the name “Ljubenice”, so they changed it and the town got the name “Lubenice”.

It is also believed that “Lubenice” was named after the Latin word “hibernicius”, which means “windy”, because winds are often in the town located at the top of a cliff.